DETAILED ACTION
Response to Arguments/Amendments
Applicant’s arguments and corresponding amendments both filed 1/13/2026 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The 35 U.S.C. 112(b) rejections of the claims have been withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 10-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
The term “minimal length” in claim 1 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “minimal length” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. For purposes of examination the indefinite limitation has been deemed to claim for the intersection to have least have some sort of length.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 10 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Claims 10 and 27 and subsequent dependent claims 11-23 and 28 are allowable over the prior art of record upon resolving the 35 U.S.C. 112(b) rejection. The closest prior art of record includes US 7128718 B2 to Hojeibane et al. who disclose a steerable guidewire with a control handle having a slidable knob and where longitudinal movement of the knob actuator a member to deflect the distal tip (col. 4, lines 23-38), however, Hojeibane et al. does not expressly disclose, teach or fairly suggest, singly or in combination the inner member whose proximal end is fixed and also lacks a stopper or detent on the user actuation segment that limits proximal travel relative to the shaft. In Hojeibane et al. the handle slides to deflect, but the claimed inner member and stop cooperation is absent.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/SEAN P DOUGHERTY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3791